Motor-vehicle.



W. E. 6L H. L. BOCK.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

w. L. L II. L. Bock.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED suLY II, I9I3.

Patented May 22,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IA y Patented May 22, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

m mw N W. E. L H. L. BUCK.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

" APPLICATION FILED JULY 1|, 1913.

o L G W. E. L H. L. BOCK.

l MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED 1uLY|1.1913.

Lgz. Patented May 22,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Wa' n es: es Ihre far.; Wam( wzzmmmz z r "vmfm WILLIAM EMIL BOCK HENRY L. BUCK,l F TOLEDO, OHIO; Sm Y L. BOOK SSIGNOR T0 SAID WILLIAM EMIL BOCK.

Moron-venian.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application led July 11, 1913. Serial No. 778,495.

13 drawings.

posite sides of the machine are journaled upon axles, the latter being connected to the vehicle frame by rockable arms and resilient means .for holding said arms in normal position. With machines of this type a high degree of flexibility is obtained 1n vcompensating for unequal vertical movement ofthe wheels due to travel over an uneven road bed. Inasmuch, however, as the freedom 'of movement of the wheels is confined to a vertical lane, there is nothing 25 Vto prevent the transmlssion of lateral shocks from the wheels to the frame, which result is undesirable.

vIt is one ofthe objects o f the present invention to avoid this diiiiculty by cushioning the frame against lateral as well` as vertical shocks, and a further object is to prol vide for this lateral yielding without rinterference With the steering mechanism or drive connections between the frame and the wheels.

A In the drawin sz- AFigure 1 is ap an view of the vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, with some ofthe parts broken away;

Fig.3 is a plan showing a modified con# struction of drive `mecha'msm;

Fig. 1 is a similar view showing another modilication;

Figs. and 6 are side elevations respectively of Figst and 4;

.fa Fig. 7 is a Vsectional plan view of the steering ear connections; Fig.V 8 1s a side elevation thereof;

mfFigs. 9, 10,' 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,18

are alternately longitudinal and transverse Y sections through various .modifications of the cushioning means.

', A is the vehicle frame; B B are the .515 steering wheels upon opposite sides of said The invention relates to motor vehicles` vof that type in which the Wheels upon opindependently vertically movable- .Figs 15 and 16 a cushion formed by a 1 J with the transversely Vextending frame and B2 .B3 are the drive wheels therefor; C are the rockable arms for con necting these wheels to the frame and which are journaled in bearings D thereon; and E are depending bell crank arms connected with the supportingarm C, which are connected to resilient members F for yieldably supporting the frame upon said rock arms in normal position. Y

The rock arms C being independently movable will yield under vertical shocks to the wheels, 'but lateral shocks cannot be cushioned by such a movement. Wehave therefore provided a ,cushion support for the rock arm journals upon 'the frame, which will take care of this lateral stress and shocks. Various specific constructions may be employed for this purpose. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the journal for the shank C of the rock arm C is formed by concentrically arranged outer and 4inner members D and D2 between which is interposed a cushion G of suitable material, such as rubber. In Figs. 11 and 12 there is the same arrangement ofthe members so D and D2, with the interposition of a seriesv of spiral springs G therebetween, while in Figs. 13 and 14 a spiral'spring'G2 is interposed between said members. Again in Vpneun'uatic tube G2 is interposed between the members D and D2, and in Figs. 17 and 18 the journal D3 is yieldably connected to the frame by a semi-elliptic spring H. With all of these various modifications the same eii'ect is produced, viz. the provision for limiting lateral movement of the journal with, respect to the frame, together with a resilient means for holding the parts in normal position.

The provision of the cushioning means between the rock arms and the frame necessitates the provision` of flexibility in the` A drive connections and steering connections extending from 4the frame to the wheels. 100

As shown in' Fig. 1, the driving is effected through mechanism mounted within and upon a housing or frame, which, as a unit, is adjustable in relation to the main vehicle frame.. Thus, specifically, I is a housing containing the differential gearing' which connects the longitudinal transmission shaft transv mission shafts J and J2. .The latter shafts are journaled in extensions AI andi I2 of v11o tions K with the drive wheels.

the housing I, and at their outer ends are connected by sprocket and chain connec- The whole casing I I I2 is yieldably connected to the main frame A by any one of theresilient connections shown in Figs: 9 to 18 inclusive. In Fig. 3, in place of the drive connection above described, the diiferential gearing is arranged in a housing L in near of the housing L2, formin the journals foithe rock arms, and iexi le shafts L form the driving connection between the differential vand the wheels. The casing L2 is yieldably connected to the main frame A in a similar manner to that previously described.

In Fig. 4 independent motors at M and M are mounted upon the journals for the rock arms C, to drive the wheels through sprocket and chain connections M2, a similar cushioning being provided between each of the journals and the main frame.

The journals for the front wheels of the vehicle may be cushioned by similar means to that already described, but inasmuch as the steering mechanism controls these wheels special provision for flexibility' must be provided herein. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8,

.the ste ring mechanism comprises a reciprocatory rack bar N extending axially through the journal D,`and aj pinion N intermeshing with this rack bar secured to the rotary steering stem O. This steering stem is jour-` naled in a housing P, which is rigidly attached to the inner member D2 of the journal so as to be movable therewith independently of the outer member D and the main frame A. The actuating stem Q'for the V steering mechanismis journaled in a bearing Q, rigid .with the main frame, and between the stems Q and O is a flexible connection It permitting relative lateral movement, and thus the rotary motion of the stem Q is transmitted tothe stem O and pinion N, without interfering with the cushioningvmovement of the journal in relationto the main frame. I f

To impart stability to the vehicle, it is essential to provide means for returning the wheels to normal position after relative'vertical displacement through any cause. The

springs F, Iwhich areV connected to the rockarms E are alone insufficient for this purpose, for the reason; first, Ithat they are only equally deflected when'the load is uniformly distributed, or .the center of gravity is midway between the wheels; and second, the tilting of the vehicle due to an uneven road bed results in .the shifting of the center of gravity toward one side or the other, and the sprmgs alone could not restore the balance.

The desired stabilizing effect is obtained by associating with the 'load-sustaining ,springs `F auxiliary springs or resilientl resisting devices, ,which are thrown into action only naaaese when there is a deflection of one ofthe wheels from normal position.

With the specific construction shown, S is a relatively short coil spring in the connection between the bell crank arm E and a rod or shank S leading to the spring F. The normal tension of the spring S against axial elongation is greater than the tension of the spring F so that* the yielding due to such a pivoting or flexing is by a bending of the spring S, and the tension of this spring is such as to resist such a bending with a predetermined force the further the bellcrank arm is rocked from its neutral position, with a result that the resistant force increases rapidly and tends to restore the parts to neutral position as soon as the obstruction is passed.

The rock arms which connect the forward wheels of the main frame preferably extend -spring S and shank S to the spring F. This permits of arranging all of the springs F beneath the frame of the vehicle, where they are conveniently disposed without interference with other parts of the machine.

In addition to the function of'cushioning the frame from lateral shocks, our improved construction also cushions shocks longitudinally of the vehicle.I It will be understood that when the vehicle is running at high rate of speed, an obstruction in the road bed will not merely produce a vertical shock, but the direction of the resultant forces will be in an inclinedline some place between the vertical and horizontal. Thus the yieldin of the cushion will be in the direction of t ese resultant forces'and will lessen the shock upon the -vehicle frame.

What we claim as'our invention is:

1. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame of a supporting wheel therefor, a rockable crank arm independently pivotally connected to said frame and attached at its free end to said wheel, and a lateral cushion interposed between the pivot of said rockable arm and frame. i

2. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, of a supporting wheel therefor, a

rockable arm forming a connection between said wheel and frame, a journal bearing for said rockable arm having a lateral cushion connection with the frame, and a steering mechanism mounted on said frame having a flexible operating connection with said wheel.

3. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame of a` supporting wheel therefor, a rockable arm forming a connection between said frame and wheel, a journal bearing for said rockable arm having a cushion connection with said frame, steering mechanism for said wheel axially alined with said journal, and an operating mechanism mounted upon said frame flexibly connected with said steering mechanism.

4. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame of a supporting wheel therefor, a rockable arm forming a connection between said wheel and frame, a journal bearing for said arm, a bearing surrounding and spaced from said journal bearing, and a resilient member between said bearing forming a cushion for said journal.

5. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame, of asupporting wheel therefor, a

rockable arm forming a connection between said wheel and frame, a journal bearing for said rockable arm having a cushion connection with said fra-me, and a drive connection for said Wheel passing axially through said cushion bearing.

6. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame of a supporting wheel therefor, a rockable arm formingia connection between L said frame and wheel, a bell-crank arm for actuating said rockable arm, a resilient longitudinally extensible member connected. with said bell-crank arm for sustaining the normal load on said rockable arm, and a laterally Hexible resilient member for imposing additional yielda-ble resistance upon the deiiection of said rockable' arm.

7. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame of a supporting wheel therefor, a rockable arm forming a connection between said frame and wheel, a longitudinally extensible resilient member for sustaining the normal load on said rockable arm, and an auxiliary resilient member operating upon the deflection of said rockable arm to impose additional resistance to the movement thereof.

8. In a vehicle, the combination with a frame of a supporting wheel therefor, a f

rockable arm for forming a connection between said wheel and frame, alongitudinally extensible resilient member for sustaining the normal load upon said rockable arm, and

a laterally'flexible resilient member adapted to be flexed by the deflection of said rockable arm and interposing progressively increasing resistance tol the movement of said arm. l

10. In a vehicle, the` combination with a frame of a supporting wheel therefor, a rockable arm forming a connection between said wheel and frame, a bell-crank arm connected to said rockable arm, a longitudinally extensible resilient member connected to said bell-crank arm and yieldably Vresisting movement of said rockable arm, anda laterally iexible resilient member movable with said bell-crank arm and pro ressively flexed by the deflection of said rocIiable arm from normal position'.

11, In a vehicle, theI combinationwith va frame, of a supporting wheel therefor, a rockable arm forming a connection between said wheel and frame, a journal bearing for said rockable arm having a cushioned connection with said frame, a housing connected to said-journalbearing, a iexible steering stem journaled in said housing, and connections between said steering stem and supporting wheel.

12. In a vehicle, the combination with Va frame, of supporting wheels therefor, independently rockable arms forming connections between said wheels and frame, and lateral cushioning connections between each of said rockable arms and said frame.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM EMIL BOOK. HENRY L. BOOK. Witnesses:

R. F. SonNEmnR, A. C. BALL. 

